Combined socket and starter for fluorescent lamps



June 6, 1944. F. c. DE REAMER COMBINED SOCKET AND STARTER FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS I Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor. Frank ClDeReamen b g His Atbor-ne g.

June 6, 1944. v Q 35 REAMER I 2,350,341

COMBINED SOCKET AND STARTER FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q- zzzzz Y FigJo. 4

Inventor; Fr an k C. DeReamen His Attor ne g.

Patented June 6, 1944 COMBINED socxa'r m s'ran'rln non FLUORESCENT rams Frank 0. De Reamer, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 16, 1941, Serlal No. 393,786

13 Claims. (01. m

My invention relates to a socket and starting mechanism for fluorescent lamps of the type now in commercial use and to means for supporting the starting mechanism on the socket.

An object of my invention is the provision of a lamp socket of the type described which is constructed and arranged to support the lamp starting mechanism in any one of a number of positions convenient for operation or replacement of the starting mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fluorescent lamp socket equipped with adjustable means for mounting the socket on a support whereby the socket may be utilized with various sizes of lamps.

A further object of my invention is the provi-' sion of a socket for mounting a fluorescent lamp and the starting mechanism therefor, the arrangement being such that the starting mechanism is accessible for removal or replacement.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of the socket and starting mechanism; Fig. 2is a sectional view through the socket taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing the adjustable support in one position; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the socket showing the interior arrangement; Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the supporting member for the starting mechanism; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the lamp socket, the supporting member for the starting mechanism and the adjustable support for the lamp socket; Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing the adjustable support.in another position; and Figs. '7 to 11, inclusive, are diagrammatic views of the lamp socket and starter supporting member showing the. various ways of mounting the lamp socket on a support, such as a reflector, and the various. arrangements in which the starter supporting member may be assembled on the lamp socket.

Referring to the drawings, my invention employs a lamp socket 20, a starter adapter or supporting member 2| carried thereby and a lamp starting mechanism 22 mounted in the starter adapter for use with a tubular fluorescent lamp of the well-known type now in commercial use. This general arrangement of elements is shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 322,560, flied March 6, 1940 now Patent 2,276,829, issued March 17, 1942, and assigned to the same assignee as the instant ap-,

plication.

This assembly of elements for supporting and starting the lamp is customarily mounted in a fixture support provided with a reflector 23.

That portion of the lamp socket which supports the lamp extends above the base of the reflector to support the lamp adjacent the reflecting surface whilethat portion of the socket to which the electrical circuit is wired extends beneath the base .to conceal the wiring. To this end. the lamp socket extends through an opening 24 in the base. of the reflector, as shown by Figs. 2 and 6.. The starter adapter is also concealed beneath the reflector inasmuch as itis directly connected to the electrical circuit. It is desirable to have the starting mechanism easily accessible for removal or replacement. To this end, the base of the reflector is provided with a second opening 25 through which a portion or the housing of the starting mechanism extends to a point immediately below the lamp so that upon removal of the lamp the starter may be grasped by the hand and removed from the socket 2| through the opening. This means that it is unnecessary to disturb the wiring to the lamp socket and starter when replacing the latter.

The lamp socket 20 comprises a housing 26 of insulating material, such as a molded plastic. provided in the front face thereof with an annular recess 21 merging with a slot 28 extending to an outer edge of the housing. Disposed centrally of the recess is a guiding stud 29 provided with a diametrical slot 30 in alignment with the aforementioned slot 28. Contact members it and 32 engage opposite sides of the guiding stud. In mounting a fluorescent lamp, the spaced contact pins of the lamp are moved in alignment downwardly through the slots 28 and 30 until the lowermost pin touches the edge of the recess 21.; thereafter, the lamp is rotated to move the contact pins into engagement with the socket contact members 3| and 32. The centrally disposed stud aids in guiding the lamp pins into engagementwith the contact members. As shown by Fig. 3, the contact members 31 and 22 are formed as elongated blades of flexible material and are disposed incompartments 33 and 24.

respectively, formed in the rear of the housing- The compartments are closed by a cover plate 3! of insulating material, such as sheet fiber. Each contact member is formed with a laterally extending terminal portion 36 for cooperation with terminal screws 31 and 38 connected to the starter socket in a manner now to be described.

The starter adapter or mounting member 21 is constructed of any suitable insulating material, such as a molded plastic, and is provided in its upper portion with a recess 40 for receiving the starting mechanism 22. The bottom of the i recess is provided with a pair of keyhole slots 4| for receiving the contact pins 42 of the starting mechanism, in the manner shown by Fig. 4. Ad- 1 is provided with a binding screw 49 for connec-' tion to the lamp circuit. On the other hand, the contact ger 44 is formed with a flat terminal portion 50 which underlies the head ,of the terminal screw 38 so that in the assembled position of the lamp socket and starter adapter the contact finger 44 is in electrical connection with the contact member 32 of the lamp socket. The terminal screw 38 extends through an opening formed in the adapter 2|. The other terminal screw 3''! likewise extends through an opening 52 in the adapter but is not connected to either of the contact fingers of the starter adapter; the head of this screw rests in a recess 53 and is connected directly to the lamp circuit, the wires to the screw passing through either one of the slots 54 or 55.

The starting mechanism 22 may be any one of the conventional types now on the market but preferably is of the "glow switc type similar to that described in my aforementioned Patent 2,276,829. The starter operating mechanism is protected within the cylindrical housing shown, electrical connection to the mechanism being obtained through the aforementioned contact pins 42. In mounted position the starter is connected in series across the contact fingers 43 and 44.

Since only one starter is required for each lamp, the assembly shown by Fig. 1 is provided at one endof the lamp, only. The other end is provided simply with a lamp socket. The socket 20 is designed to serve as such a socket simply by removing the elongated terminal screws 31 and 33 and replacing them with short binding screws for connection directly to the lamp circuit; such binding screws are accessible through openings 55 in the front face of the socket. This means that only a single lamp socket need be manufactured and stocked since the starting adapter 2| may be omitted from the assembly at will.

The starter and lamp socket are connected into an' operating circuit in a manner well known to the art. One side of a power supply is connected to the terminal screw 31 while a connection is made from the starter adapter terminal screw 49 to a socket at the other end of the lamp and thence to a current limiting reactor and the other side of the power supply. This means that current flows from the said one side of the power supply through the terminalv screw 31, contact member 3|, the lamp cathode, contact element 32, terminal screw 38, the starter mechanism, the lamp socket contacts and cathode at the other end of the lamp, thence to the reactor and the other side of the power supply. After the cathodes are sufllciently heated, which takes from 1 to 3 seconds, the starter mechanism interrupts the flow of current through them causing an arc to strike between the cathodes lighting the lamp.

The socket and starter assembly thus far described is substantially the same as that shown and described in my aforementioned Patent 2,276,829. One limitation of the prior construction has been that the assembly could be used with only one diameter of lamp because the sizes of the lamp socket and starter adapter and the height of the starter housing were designed to cooperate with a reflector to receive one size or diameter of lamp, irrespective of the length of the lamp, usually a standard lamp of one inch (1") diameter. Then again the assembly was such that the starter adapted could be arranged and supported on the lamp socket in only one position, this position requiring the starter to be located beneath the lamp in the opening 25 so that it projected through the reflector. In many cases, however, it is desirable to provide a single lamp socket which is capable of supporting lamps of difierent diameters. Moreover, in other cases,

it may be necessary or desirable to mount the starter outside the confines of the reflector where it is accessible without removing the lamp. My invention makes possible an assembly whereby all of these advantages are attained.

Referring to Fig. 5, I have shown a mounting bracket 60 adapted to support the lamp socket 20 on the reflector base. The bracket is formed of relativelyrigid sheet material. It is provided with ears 6| on opposite ends which extend into either an upper pair of recesses 62 in the socket or a lower pair 63, for a purpose to be described presently. The bracket is also provided with a tongue 64 bent upwardly or offset from the plane of the bracket, in the showing of Fig; 5. The tongue 64 extends into a slot 65 in the socket which is disposed between the pairs of slots 62 and 63. In order to fasten the bracket to the housing, the tongue is formed with a tapped opening 66 which receives a locking screw 61 extending upwardly from the bottom of the socket hbusing in the slot 68. The body of the bracket is formed with an arcuate edge 69 to fit around the starter housing while openings 10 in opposite ends provide means for fastening the socket to the reflector base by screws 1|. It will be manifest that upon inverting the bracket the ears 8| may be fitted into either of the pairs of recesses 62 or 63 while the tongue 64 is always disposed in the centrally located slot 65. This means that when the bracket is adjusted the lamp socket is moved to corresponding various distances above the reflector base to which the bracket is fas-. tened. Thus the socket is adapted for use with lope of the lamp is located a proper distance from.

the base and side walls of the reflector to obtain maximum lighting emciency. Moreover, the starting adapter 2| is mounted directly on the lamp socket so that the starter housing projects a proper distance through the opening 25 in the reflector to clear the bottom of the lamp envelope; at the same time it projects a suflicient distance for easy removal. The arrangement of Fig. 6, however, will notproperly accommodate a larger diameterlamp, for example, a two and one-eighth inch (2%") lamp, because the envelope of the lamp will not beproperly positioned with respect to the base and side walls of the reflector to secure maximumlighting efficiency. Moreover, the lamp envelope would interfere with the top of the starter making seating of the lamp in the socket impossible. In order-to adapt the lamp socket for use with a larger diameter lamp, I adjust the bracket 60 to correctly position the socket on the reflector base. a

In Fig. 2, the bracket has been so arranged on the socket that the 'ears rest in the lower recesses 63. When the bracket is fastened to the reflector base in this manner the lamp socket is raised a suflicient distance to properly position the larger diameter lamp with respect to the reflector. If the starter adapter were left attached to the lamp socket, in the manner shown byrFig. 6, the starter housingwould likewisebe raised so that it extended a greater distance into the reflector preventing seating of the lamp in the socket. This difiiculty is overcome by the insertion of a separator member 12 between the lamp socket 213 and the starter adapter 2| so that the top of the starter housing is maintained at the same level above the base of the reflector. The separator, member is only used when the bracket is assembled to adjust the lamp.

socket to accommodate the larger diameter lamps. The separator is formed of insulating material the same as the lamp socket and starter adapter and is provided with spaced openings 13 for receiving the terminal screws 31 and 38. The various adjustments of the bracket 60 and the separator member to accommodate the two sizes of lamps are likewise shown by Figs. 7 and 8. The bracket is adjusted to proper position according to the size of the lamp irrespective of whether or not-the starting mechanism is mounted on the socket; this arrangement is shown by the right-hand portions of Figs. '7 and 8.

In some installations it may be desirable to mount the starter adapter and starter on the lamp socket in a manner other than that shown by Figs. 2, 6, '1 and'B. This may be required by the small size of the associated lighting fixture or it may be desirable to locate the starter outside the fixture or make it accessible from the bottom of the fixture. Figs. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate various additional ways in which the starter adapter or supporting member may be mount-' ed on the lamp ocket. In-Figs. 9 and 10 the starter adapter is inverted so that the starter is accessible for removal or replacement from the I bottom of an associated fixture; in Fig. 10 the starter adapter has also been shown in reversed position so that it extends outwardly from the rear face of the lamp socket to locate the starter beyond the confines of the lamp fixture. In Fig.

,11, the starter is mounted in upright position but the starter adapter is reversed to locate-the starter outside the lighting fixture. The starter adapter may be mounted in any of the illustrated positions simply by removing the terminal porting member 2| provided at one end with a flat surface 14 which is adapted to rest against the base of the lamp socket or the base of the separator member, as occasion demands, to

either, one of which it is securely clamped by the terminal screws 31- and 38. The opposite side of the starter adapter is likewise provided with a corresponding flat surface 15 which is adapted to cooperate with either the base of the lamp. socket or the separator member in the manner described. The fiat surface 15 in the base of the starter adapter is provided with the aforementioned recesses which receive the heads of the terminal screws Hand 38, as shown by Fig. 4. Similarly, the flat-surface 14 on the upper portion of the starter adapter is provided with corresponding recesses 15 and 11 to receive the heads of the terminal screws when the socket is inverted. For wiring to the terminal screw 31 when the adapter is inverted, the latter is p ovided with slots 54' and 55' merging with he recess 11 and which correspond to the slots M and 55. When the starter adapter is inverted, the head of the terminal screw .38 will not engage the terminal plate 50 of the socket contact finger 44 since the head of the screw will be located on the opposite side of the starter socket in the recess 18. In order to insure electrical contact between the terminal screw 38 and the contact finger 44 at all times, so that the starter is in circuit with the lamp, the terminal plate 50 of the contact finger is fastened to the base by means of a hollow rivet 18 inserted in the opening 5| and being provided with a peened over head 19 for engaging the head of the terminal screw 38.

It is desirable to protect the exposed ends of the terminal screws 31 and 3d. To this end, either one of the surfaces 1% or 15, whichever one is exposed, is adapted to be closed by a cover plate 80 formed of insulating material, such as sheet fiber. The cover plate is held in position by a spring clip'8l. When the starter adapter is mounted in upright position and the surface 15 is exposed the clipengages a recess 82 to hold the cover plate 80 in position. On the other hand, when the starter adapter is reversed and the surface 14 is exposed the clip extends into a recess 83 to hold the cover plate in position; the cover plate is rectangular in form and can be reversed in position when applied to the surfaces 14 and 15.

By my construction it is necessary to manufacture and stock only one type of lamp socket which may be adapted for use with lamps of various diameters simply by adjusting the mounting bracket. In cases where the socket is used in combination with a starter, provision is made for mounting the starter adapter in the proper manner by use of the separating member. No change need be made in the structure of the starter adapter so that only a single type need be manufactured and stocked irrespective of the diameter of lamp with which the starter is to be used.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination, a lamp" socket having a housing of insulating material provided with a base portion at one end and spaced contact members at the other end for engaging the spaced contact pins of a tubular lamp, adjustable means terconnecting in series one of the socket contact members and one of the adapter contact elements and a spacer of insulating material disposed between said adapter and socket when said means is adjusted to position said socket contact members at one of said predetermined distances from the support, said interconnecting means extending through said spacer to mount the spacer and adapter in position on said socket.

2. In combination, a lamp socket having a housing of insulating material, spaced contacts in said housing adapted to receive the spaced contact pins of a tubular lamp, said socket contacts having terminal means, a member of insulating material having a recess for receiving a container provided with contact prongs, contact elements on said member adapted to cooperate with the contact prongs of the container and themselves being provided with terminal means, means for electrically interconnecting in series one of the terminal means of the socket contacts and one adapter having receptacle means including contact elements provided. with terminal means, a

spacer member of insulating material disposed between said lamp holder and said adapter and a screw threaded into one of 'the terminal means of the lainp holder contacts, extending through said spacer element and engaging one of the terminal means of the adapter contact elements for electrically interconnecting these terminal means in series.

4. In combination, a lamp socket having a housing of insulating material provided with a base portion at one end and spaced contact members at the other end for engaging the spaced contact pins of a tubular lamp, an adapter of insulating material having receptacle means includ ing contact elements on one side thereof, said adapter being provided on opposite sides with surfaces for cooperation with the base of said socket whereby said adapter may be positioned on the socket base with the receptacle means extending in either of opposite directions, and means for electrically interconnecting one of the contact elements on the adapter and one of the lamp contact members and for holding said adapter in position on said socket.

5. In combination, a lamp socket provided with a base portion at one end and spaced contact members at the other end for engaging the spaced contact pins of a. tubular lamp, an adapter having receptacle means including contact elements on one side thereof, said adapter being provided on opposite sides with bearing surfaces for cooperation with the base of said socket whereby said adapter may be positioned on the socket socket.

6. In combination, a lamp socket having a hous ing of insulating material provided with a baseportion at one end and spaced contact members at the other end for engaging the spaced contact pins of a tubular lamp, an adapter having a housing of insulating material, said housing being provided at one end with receptacle means including contact elements on one side thereof, the other end of said housing being provided on opposite sides thereof with surfaces mating with the base of said socket whereby said adapter may be positioned with either surface engaging the socket base so that the receptacle means extends toward or away from the socket contact members, and a plurality of screws extending through said adapter housing for electrical connection with the socket contact members, one of said screws electrically interconnecting in series one of the contact elements on the adapter and one of the socket contact members.

' 7. A socket for supporting a tubular electric lamp comprising, in combination, a housing of insulating material, spaced contact members carried by said housing for receiving the contact pins of the lamp, means for mounting said housing in various positions on a supporting base, said means comprising a bracket and spaced slots formed in the wall of the housing, said bracket being reversible in position for seating in either slot to position the socket contact members at various distances above the base.

8. A socket for use with a lamp having spaced contact pins comprising, in combination, a housing of insulating material, spaced contact members carried by said housing for engaging the contact pins of the lamp, means for supporting said housing at various distances above a base for mounting various sizes of lamp, said means comprising a bracket having a centrally disposed offset tongue portion. spaced slots formed in said housing for receiving the bracket and a recess disposed between said slots for receiving the tongue portion, said bracket being reversible for location in either one of said slots with said tongue remaining in said recess whereby the socket contacts are positioned at various distances from the base.

9. A socket for use with a lamp'having spaced contact pins comprising, in combination, a housing of insulating material, spaced contact members carried by said housing, and means for supporting said housing on a base for accommodating various sizes of lamp, said means comprising a bracket having projecting portions at opposite ends and a centrally disposed oifset tongue portion, spaced slots formed in said housing for receiving the projecting portions of the bracket and a recess disposed between the slots for receiving the tongue portion, said bracket being reversible to position the projecting portions in either one of said slots with the tongue portion remaining in said recess whereby the contact members of the socket are disposed at various distances above the base.

10. In a lamp socket, a housing of insulating material provided with contact members -for receiving the contact members of a lamp, spaced parallel slots formed in a face of the housing and a recess disposed between said slots, abracket for mounting said housing on a support, said bracket comprising a member having ears at opposite ends and an offset tongue portion disposed between said ears, said member being reversible in position to position the ears in either one of said slots with the tongue remaining in said recess whereby the lamp contact members are located at various distances above a base.

11. In a lamp socket, a housing of insulating material provided with contact members for receiving the contacts of a lamp, spaced slots formed in a face of said housing and a recess dis- 12. In a lamp socket, a housingof insulating material provided with contact members for receiving the contact pins of a lamp, said housing having a slot formed transversely in a face thereof and also being provided with a recess adjacent said slot, a bracket for mounting said housing on a support, said bracket comprising a member having an extending tongue portion and ears disposed on opposite sides of said tongue portion, said bracket being mounted in position on said housing with the ears disposed in said slot and with the tongue disposed in said recess, and a screw extending through said housing and engaging said tongue to fasten the bracket in position.

13. A combined socket and holder for a lamp which has two projecting contact prongs at each end of said lamp, said socket having a socketcasing, said socket-casing being made of in,- suiating material and having a first contact and a second contact and a third contact located therein, said sprocket-casing having a socket cover for closing said socket casing, said contacts being fixed to said socket-casing, the first contact and the second contact having means for connecting respective wires thereto inwardly of the socket-casing, the second contact and the third contact having spaced contact members which are adapted to be connected through a starter device, said holder including a holder casing made of insulating material, said holder casing having spaced contact-springs, said contact springs having heads which are fixed respectively to the first contact and to the third contact by respective holding devices, the holder casing being shaped to permit the location of said contact prongs in respective contact with said contact springs, the holder casing being reversible around its longitudinal axis relative to the socket casing, said holding devices being operative in either position of the holder casing.

FRANK C. DE REAMER. 

